Sheet-feeding machine.



J. H. YOUNG.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mac. :0, 1913.

1,21 8,034. Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. H. YOUNG.

SHEET FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. H. YOUNG.

SHET FEEDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 020.10, 1913.

1,21 8,034. Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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SHEE T moms MACHINE. APPLlCATl0N FILED DEC-HD1913.

1,218,034. I Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

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JOHN H. YOUNG, OF RANDOLPH, YORK, ASSIGNOR '10 BORDENS CONDENSED MILK COMPANY, OF 'YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHEET-FEEDING MACHINE.

' Randolph, in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York,.have invented a new and useful Sheet-Feeding Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in sheet-feeding machines by aid of which sheets of material, as for example tinned metal used in manufacture of containers,

or cans, for storage of condensed milk, are

automatically separated, one by one, from an assembled plurality, or pile, of such sheets and thereafter moved to locations where operated on by other instrumentalidrical body portions of said cans; and theobjects of my present improvements comprise provision of means whereby more rapidly, accurately, uninjuriously and economically the said separation and forwarding of the individual sheets to their destination maybe accomplished and with less manual exertion, and interference, by the operators than heretofore. I

I attain these objects by the mechanisms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 'Figure 1 is a side elevation'of-my sheetfeeding machine, and of parts, diagrammatically illustrated, of a body-forming machine therewith connected, certain parts being broken away to show interior;

Fig. 2 is an end view of my machine seen from the right hand of Fig. 1, the feeding chain of said body-forming machine being also diagrammatically illustrated;

Fig. 3 shows a section of my machin taken on the line a-a of Fig. 2;. 1

Fig. 4 is a plan view ofthe top of my feeding devices and of a portion of the thereto adjacent end of said b0dy-forming machine; 1

Fig. 5 shows a section of my feeding devices taken on the line b-Z of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 shows, on enlarged scale, a section of part of the sheet-chute taken on the line cc of Fig. 5, to show more fully the frictional stops controlling the settling of the sheets; 1 v

Fig. 7 shows a section of a portion of the sheet-chute takenon the line dd of Fig. 3,

Specification of Letters Patent.

I to more fully illustrate the Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application flled'December 10, 1913. Serial No. 805,712.

yielding means for'supporting the sheets. g

My novel machine, comprehensively indicated by A, is adapted. to automatically separate, and withdraw, the sheets, one by one, from'the more or less bulky collection,

or pile, in which. they are customarily stored and moved, such separation and withdrawal of tinned-metal sheets, for example, being especially onerous for manual operation owing to cohesion of the comparatively rigid sheets and their irritating edges. While accomplishing the foregoing, my machine simultaneously furthervadvances, or feeds, each sheet, or blank, without, handling, to a point whence produceable therefrom any desired form, as, for example, to a well known can-body-forming machine which I have diagrammatically indicated as B, comprising the usual feed rollers 1 and 2 (Figs. 3 and 4) which, afterpartly curl ing, deliver the blanks to .a sub-disposed spindle 3' (Fig. 2) along which they are advanced by aid of a feed chain 4 carrying fingers 5 (Fig. 2) while being brought to complete cylindrical shape by a' tapering former 6 and their adjoining edges soldere novel magazine, .or. sheet-chute, 8, where they afterward assume, relatively thereto, the positions shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. This chute, carried by a bracket 9 secured open at top 8 for charging, and at bottom 8, for discharging, and contains, disposed atanjangle inclined from the per pendicular, a pathway dimensioned to contain, and admit passage therethrough of the sheets while disposed in parallel planes angular to the longitudinal axis of said pathway.

The inclinations of the sheets ,while in transit thereby secured is of great impor- -to the body-fo'rmingmachine. B, comprises four sides or walls, 1n this instance rectanigularly disposed relatively to each other, is

tance in that it contributes to the gradual drop of each into its final position before removal as hereinafter described. Said inclination imposes the individual, and the aggregate, weight of the sheets, to a large extent, upon the inclined surface of the undermost side 10 (Fig. 5) of the chute, which side is provided with deflector stops 11, movably secured thereto by pivots 11, and projected slightly into the pathway to required extent by adjusting screws 12.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 5 and 6,-

it will be noted that, as therein shown, the deflector-stops 13 have projecting, downwardly and inwardly into the pathway, a graduated, or thereto inclined, rigid surface, shaped and disposed to bear against the uppermost edges of a plurality of sheets simultaneously, and upon each in turn as it advances, with gradually increasing resistance until the apex of the incline or maximum resistance has been passed. This is of great importance as it tends to prevent the top of more than one sheet from paming the apex at a time, and meanwhile retards the tops of the following sheets as required.

It will also be noted that, as shown, the deflector-stops 11 have, at a level lower than that of said deflector-stops 13, projecting upwardly and inwardly into the pathway, an inclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the lowermost edges of a plurality of the sheets simultaneously and thus gradually retard their descent in the chute. The surfaces referred to of the stops 13, as compared with those of the stops 11, are inclined reversely relatively to each other.

Thus difierences in the height of the sheets are to a large extent accommodated. Moreover, the resistance offered to the descent of the top of each sheet thus being gradually increased until it, in its turn, passesthe point of maximum resistance, and the lowermostedge of the sheet being, meanwhile and afterward, gradually increasingly retarded, serves to insure substantial loosening of each sheet from its neighbors and to prevent the tops of several mutually cohering sheets from simultaneously slipping by the apex of the deflector-stops 13.

It is also of great importance that the relative degree of projection of the respective grou s of deflector-stops into the path way be a justable, not only to meet requirements of different sized sheets, but more particularly to impart at the proper place and time the respective maximums of ressure against the respective topmost an lowermost edges of the sheets. This adjustment is, by means of my construction and by aid of the set-screws 15, readily attained and maintained by those skilled in the art.

Similar deflector stops 13, similarly supported on pivots 13, are carried bythe opposite wall 14 of the chute (Fig. 5) and are similarly adjustable by means of set screws 15. It will be noted, as is of importance, that the deflector-stops 11 are located at a lower level than are the deflector stops 13, which disposition insures that the sheets are temporarily checked in their descent while still in planes substantially angular to the central longitudinal axis of the pathway. The deflectonstops not only retard the gravity movement of the sheets, but also, because of the latters aforesaid inclined osition and the formers location relativeiy to each other operate to intermittently deflect from the bulk, or mass, one, or a few sheets, as indicated by dotted lines 7 (Fig. 5), into less inclined planes as at 7 (Fig. 5) in which the superimposed wei ht is still less felt, and where a grou of t c then undermcst sheetsreceives a ditional final retard and support from yielding means, to wit stops 17, carried by the chute and having inwardly projecting resilient fingers 17 (Fig. 7). The aggregate weight of the entire mass, or bulk, of sheets is thus not only diverted from the undermost members thereof, but also the individual sheets are, during their descent, to an extent, parted, thus diminishin undue mutual adhesion, and, by suitab y adjusting the deflector stops, as experience will in each instance indicate, the rate of downwardpro ression is'retarded sufficiently to prevent c oggin 'ofmy therewith coacting separating an placing device now to be described.

This operates to automatically and completelyseparate the sheets by removing, or

picking them off, one by one, from the bottom of the advancing pile retarded, partially separated and supported, as above described, and to deposit them where required for further advance or feed. My said separator and placer comprises an oscillating arm 18 carrying, adjacent one end thereof, a pneumatic cup or sucker 19 (Fig. 3) disposed to pass through an opening 9 (Figs. 3 and 4) in the tabular top of the bracket 9 and to operatively contact with the under surface of the lowermost sheet when the arm is oscillated to its upmost osition, as indicated by dotted lines in ig. 3. The required oscillation is imparted to the arm 18 by aid of an eccentric 23 and surrounding strap 24 connected with the arm by a link 25. A pivot 26, carried by bracket 27 supported by the bracket 9, oscillatably supports the arm 18.

A rotatory shaft 28, operated by gears 29 and 30, (Fig. 2), the latter carried by a counter shaft 31 from any convenient source of power, carries said eccentric 23. To produce the required exhaust in the sucker 19, I

provide an air pump, or exhauster, comprising a cylinder 32 and atherein reciprocating piston 33 (Fig. 1) connected by a link 34 with a wrist pin 34' carried by a disk 35 carried by the shaft 28. A flexible tubing 36- (Fig. 1) connects the interior ofthe pump with a nipple 37 (Fig. 1) connecting with a duct 38 (Fig. 3) in the arm 18, which duct connects with the interior of the pneumatic cup or sucker 19. The cylinder 32 is provided with an opening 39 through which air enters to break the exhaust when the piston 33 has been sufficiently lifted as indicated in-Fig. 1, and also with reliefopenings 40 normally closed by a valve 4:1 movably supported on the threaded pin 4:1 carried by the cylinder 32 and .tensione'd by the helical spring l2 encircling said pin and "bearing against said'valve andthe adjustable nut $2. The rise of the pistonis timed to exhaust the air in'thecup 19 sufliciently to insure adherence thereto of a sheet when the cup is raised to contact therewith, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig.3. As the cup thereafter descends carrying therewith said sheet the latter-encounters the tabular top of the bracket9 which arrests and thereafter supports it in correct horizontal presenta tion, the further rise of the piston being timed to, at this stage, pass the opening 89 and thus break the exhaust and release the sheet, while the unloaded cup continues 'its' downward oscillation through the opening 9 in said bracket. 7 p I A sheet having been, as aforesaid, automatically separated from the pile and placed upon, the bracket, or rest, 9 is thereby movably supported without contact of a'considerable portion, and more particularly of a on the tabular top of the bracket 9. The

- slide is movably supported on guide rods 47 on each side of the opening 9 (Figs. 2' and 4) and is actuated by aid of a therewith pivotally connected vibratory arm 49 (Fig. 3) having its lower end pivotally connected with a bracket 50 secured to the frame of the body-forming device B. While any part of the cup 19, or its therewith connected arm 18, is in, or passing through, the opening 9,

this arm 49 is thrown, and held, backward,

by a cam 51 carried by the shaft 28 thus clearing said opening of the fingers 46, but

the cam is so shaped, as shown, and its rotation so timed, that when the sheet has been deposited, and left, in place on the horiZontal tabular top of the bracket 9, a powerful retractile spring 52, connecting the bracket- 9 with said bar 49, smartly impels the latter forward thereby causing said fingers 4,6 to strike a sharp blow horizontally against one edge of the sheet whereby it projected,

in a substantially horizontal plane, intothe grasp of the feed rollers 1 and 2, of the bodyforming machine. 1 ny reference to the drawings, particularly Fig. 5, it will be seen that the construction is such that operative portions, or fingers, 46,

of the kicker 44 areadvanceable, without contacting the sheet-supporting surfaces of impelledin said "path to strike a sweeping,

percussive blow against said edge, and to follow through-beyondits said normal 10- cation, therebycausing the sheet to take flight'in a predetermined direction. v

Thespring-tensioned quality ofthe blow against the edge of the sheet is of great importance, not only because it is notpositive,

and unyieldingybut, also, particularly because of its springy following-throu h character, which imparts a very per ect flight tothe sheet with less danger; of deforming the edge than if the kicker were actuated by i'nore. positively operating means.

The position 'andresillence of the fingers 17 {of thestops' 17 is such as to enable them out by the sucker 19, the suction being correspondingly regulated.

As clearly shown by Fig. 7 of the drawings, the finger's 17 principallyactually support the lowermost sheet and thus also the stack of thereon imposed mutually parallel sheets which are at the same inclination, and which, were the fingers removed, would fall in mass upon thetabular top of the bracket 9. But owing to the inclination ofsaid lowmaximuni resistance of the deflector-stops 11, the load otherwise imposed by the stack upon the fingers'is so far reduced as to en- .able the latterto support it, and also so yieldingly as to readily release said lowermost sheetonly and without its being materially, ifat all, bent in its passage through the fingers. I have, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, shaped the fingers so as to project, into the path of the sheet, oppositely disposed, coacting, curved surfaces which are convex toward the side edges of the sheet, and located as shown of the sheets and a maximum clutch, or bear-' ing, impartable to one only, i. 6., the lowermost, of the sheets. It follows that while the fingers readily yield sufficiently to per- In aid of this desirable result,

toretain between them any number of sheets while the lowermost adheres to' and is pulled ermost sheet, and the circumstance that its lowermost edge 15 then encountering the mit the pneumatic cup, with comparatively slight force, to pull the lowermost sheet from between them, their resilience returns them toward normal position so promptl and their curvature is such, that immediate y after the then lowermost sheet has passed the zone of maximum clutch, the next sheet and its followers are gradually checked from following, and in turn supported sufficiently until the return of the cup. Thus, also, should the pneumatic cup, by reason of inaccurate adjustment of its oscillating mechanism, bear up so heavily against the lowermost sheet as to abnormally lift it, and the superimposed stack, the latter is returned by gravity to its normal position and without any such jar against the retainin devices as might cause the stack, or parts t ereof, to break through them and thus clog the machine.

It will be noted that the kicker is incompetent to project the sheets to desired location with industrial economy, precision and success, unless the sheets are by cooperation of the chute and its adjuncts, and of the separating and placing devices described, separated, adjusted and horizontally supported with sufiicient rapidity and exactness to enable the kicker to properly do its work. In short, none of my said devices would, I believe, prove of equal, or important, value, on industrial scales of manufacture, unless combined and cooperatin with each other as I have shown and escribed. At the same time I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the particular forms and arrangement of devices shown in the drawings, since I regard variations therefrom operating in the same way to produce the same results as within the purview of my inventiou, which having now described, as aforesaid, I claim as follows, viz.:

1. In a sheet-feeding machine, a chute comprising opposite parallel inclined sides havin between them an inclined sheet-pathway iniensioned to admit passage therethrough'by ravity of a stac of mutuallycontncting s eets, the lowermost ed es of which bear a ainst the lowermost c said sides; carried y the uppermostof said sides at a therein medial location a deflectorstop having, projecting downwardly and inwardly into saidpathway, an inclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the uppermost edges of a plural ty of said sheets simultaneously and gradually retard their descent in the chute; and, carried by the lowermost cisaid sides at a level lower than that of said deflector=stop, another defle torstop having, pro ecting upwardly and n1- wardly into sa d pathway, a convex inclined surface shaped and disios'ed to bear against the lowermost edges oi a plurality of all sheetssimultaneously and gradually retard their descent the chute.

wardly into said BEST AVAILABLE COP 2. In a sheet-feeding machine, a chute comprising opposite parallel inclined sides having between them an inclined sheet-pathway imensioned to admit passage therethrough by ravity of a stack of mutuallycontacting s eets, the lowermost edges of which bear a ainst the lowermost of said sides; carried y the uppermost of said sides a deflector-stop having, projecting downwardly and inwardly into said pathway, an inclined surface shaped and dis osed to bear against the uppermost edges 0 a plurality of said sheets simultaneously and gradually retard their descent in the chute; and means to adjust and maintain the degree of projection of said surface of the deflector-stop into the pathway.

3. In a sheet-feeding machine, a chute comprising opposite parallel inclined sides havmg between them an inclined sheet-pathway dimensioned to admit passage therethrough by gravity of a stack of mutuallycontacting sheets, the lowermost edges of which bear a ainst the lowermost of said sides; carried y the uppermost of said sides a deflector-stop having, projecting down-l wardly and inwardly into said pathway, an inclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the uppermost edges of a plurality 0 said sheets simultaneousl and gradually retard their descent in the chute; carried by the lowermost of said sides at a level lower than that of said deflector-stop, another deflector-stop havin projecting upwardly and inwardly into sai pathway, an inclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the lowermost edges of a pluralit of said sheets simultaneously and gradual y retard their descent in the chute; and means to independently adjust and maintain the de of projection of said surfaces of the de ectorstops relatively to each other in the pathway.

4. In a sheet-feeding machine, a chute comprising opposite parallel inclined sides havin between them an inclined sheetathway imensioned to admit ]passage 1: erethrough by gravity of a stac of mutuallycontacting a eats, the lowermost edges of which bear a ainst the lowermost of said sides; carried y the lowermost of said sides adjacent the outlet of said chute a deflectorstop having, projecting upwardly and inface shaped and disposed to bear against the lowermost edg s of a plurality of said sheets SllllllltllIlBOllHli and gradually retard their descent in the chute; and, ad acent the outlet of said chute. a pair of fin rs sha ed and disposed to project op osite y to one other into said athivay an to bear against the opposite sl iod'dgvs of said sheets at a level HJOVG that of the maximum projection of aid anthem of said ('lcflector-stop into said i pathway.

5. In a sheet-feeding machine, a chute pathway an inclined our-- comprising opposite parallel inclined sides having between them an inclined sheet-pathway dimensioned to admit passage therethrough by gravity of a stack of mutuallycontacting sheets, the lowermost edges of which bear against the lowermost of said sides; carried by the lowermost of said sides adjacent the outlet of said chute a deflectorstop' having, projecting upwardly and inwardly into said pathway an inclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the lowermost edges of a plurality of said sheets I simultaneously and gradually retard their descent in the chute; and, adjacent the outlet of said chute, a pair of yielding, resilient, fingers shaped and disposed to project oppositely to each other into said pathway and to bear against opposite side-edges of said sheets at a level above that of the maximum projection of said surface of said defiector-stop into said pathway.

6. In a sheet-feeding machine, a chute comprising opposite parallel inclined sides having between them an inclined sheet-pathway dimensioned to admit passage therethrough by gravity of a stack of mutuallycontacting sheets, the lowermost edges of which bear against the lowermost of said sides; carried by the lowermost of said sides adjacent the outlet of said chute a deflector-stop having, projecting upwardly and inwardly into said pathway an inclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the lowermost edges'of a plurality of said sheets simultaneously and gradually retard their descent in the chute; and means to yieldingly support and retard advance of the side-edges of the sheets while their lowermost edges are bearin against said surface of said deflector-stop in said pathway.

7. In a sheet-feeding machine, a chute comprising opposite parallel inclined sides having between them an inclined sheet-pathway dimensioned to admit passage therethrough by gravity of a stack of mutuallycontacting sheets, the lowermost edges of which bear against the lowermost of said sides; carried by the lowermost of said sides adjacent the outlet of said chute a deflectorstop having, projecting upwardly and in-' wardly into said pathway an nclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the lowermost edges of a plurality of said sheets simultaneously and gradually retard their descent'in the chute; and, adjacent the outlet of said chute, a pair of fingers shaped and disposed to project oppositely to each other into said pathway convexly curved surfaces to bear against opposite side-edges of said sheets at a level above that of the maximum projection of said surface of said deflector-stop into said pathway.

8. In a sheet-feeding machine, a chute comprising opposite parallel inclined sides having between them an inclined sheet-pathway dimensioned to admit passage therethrough by gravity of a stack of mutuallycontacting sheets, the lowermost edges of which bear against the lowermost of said sides; carried by the uppermost of said sides a deflector-stop having, projecting downwardly and inwardly into said pathway, an inclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the uppermost edges of a plurality of said sheets simultaneously and gradually retard their descent in the chute; carried by the lowermost of said sides at a level lower than that of said deflectorstop, another deflector-stop, having projecting upwardly and inwardly into said pathway, an inclined surface shaped and ,disposed to bear. against the lowermost edges of a, plurality of said sheets simultaneously and gradually retard their descent in the chute; and means to yieldingly support and retard advance of the side-edges of the sheets while their lowermost edges are bearing against said surface of said last mentioned deflector-stop in said pathway.

9. In a sheet-feeding machine, a chute comprising opposite parallel inclined sides having between them an inclined sheet-pathway dimensioned to admit passage therethrough by gravity of a stack-of mutuallycontacting sheets, the lowermost edges of which bear against the lowermost of said sides; carried by the uppermost of said sides a deflector-stop having, projecting downwardly and inwardly into said pathway, an inclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the uppermost edges of a plurality of said sheets simultaneously and gradually retard their descent in the chute; carried by the lowermost of said sides at a level lower than that of said deflector-stop, another deflector-stop having, projecting upwardly and inwardly into said pathway, an inclined surface shaped and disposed to bear against the lowermost edges of a plurality of said sheets simultaneously and gradually retard their descent in the chute and, adjacent the outlet of said chute, a pair of yielding, resilient fingers shaped and disposed to project oppositely to each other into said pathway and to bear against opposite side-edges of said sheets at a level above that of the maximum projection of said surface of said last mentioned deflectorstop.

10. In a sheet feeding machine, a chute comprising opposite parallel inclined sides having between them an inclined sheet-pathway dimensioned to admit passage therethrough by gravity of a stack of mutuallycontacting sheets, the lowermost edges of which bear against the lowermost of said sides; carried by the uppermost of said sides ing, resilient, fingers shaped and disposed to project oppositely to each other into said pathway and having convexly curved sur- 15 faces to bear against opposite side-edges of said sheets at a level above that of the maximum projection of said inclined surface of said last mentioned deflector-stop.

JOHN H. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

A. N. Knm, H. K. Conooox. 

